It was a banner year for Class 2 basketball in Southeast Missouri, and the awards keep rolling in.
After winning state championships, the Ellington girls and Campbell boys teams each had two players named to the MBCA All-State teams.
Ellington coach David Burrows and Campbell coach Steve Fowler also earned Coach of the Year.
"It's not as much me as it is definitely them," Burrows said. "I couldn't do anything without these girls."
Added Fowler, "To be labeled as the Missouri Coach of the year and to have my son as the Player of the Year is something we'll never forget."
For Ellington, sophomore Kaylee King and junior Gretchen Hackworth were selected, and King was also named Player of the Year.
"That's a huge accomplishment for her. That was definitely a surprise for her, too," Burrows said of King winning Player of the Year as a sophomore.
King averaged 27.1 points, 4.1 assists and 3.1 rebounds and 2.4 steals this season. She shot 43% on 3-pointers and 86% on free throws, as well.
Hackworth, who missed about half the season after suffering a hand injury in early December, averaged 15.9 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.3 steals and 1.4 assists.
"It was nice, especially Kaylee getting player of the year," Burrows said. "(Gretchen) was very deserving of the award, so it was nice to see her get on there, too ... Gretchen getting on it, that was a huge surprise for her, too because she was out half the season with a broken hand."
Ellington did not have a senior on this year's state championship team, and King was the only underclassmen on the Class 2 girls team.
"The sky is the limit," Burrows said of King. "She's got the potential to do just about anything we ask of her on the court."
For Campbell, senior Blake Fowler was named Player of the Year, with senior Charlie Parker making the team, as well.
"Once we found out it was pretty exciting. I know Blake was pretty excited, pretty pumped up," Steve Fowler said. " I was super proud for Charlie. He had a great year for us. Big on the glass, big rebounder. He did a lot of things for us this year."
It was Fowler's third consecutive year making All-State. Fowler finished with 2,345 points for his career to break Campbell's all-time scoring record, set by Perry Kegley in 1957.
Blake Fowler averaged 27 points, 4 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.8 steals this season.
Parker averaged 15 points and nine rebounds.
For its district championship, Ellington had to edge Neelyville, which also had two all-state players in Makenzi Davis and Payton Reinbott.
Van Buren junior Katie Griffin was also selected to the Class 2 team. In the fall, Griffin finished ninth in the Class 1 cross country.
"We are super proud of her," Van Buren coach Erika Smith said. "Everything she does, she works her butt off."
Griffin averaged 22.6 points, 8.4 rebounds and 3 steals this season. She scored a season-high 48 points against Couch and had a chance at Van Buren's single-season scoring record, but the Lady Dawgs had to cancel their final three games of the regular season.
Between Ellington, Neelyville and Van Buren, 25% of the Class 2 team came from District 2.
"Our region, it's tough. When we play each other, we beat up on each other down here. Our records aren't 22-1 or 23-0 because we play each other down here and have a bunch of good teams," Burrows said. "I think that's what really stands out."
Twin Rivers senior Abbey Hester was named to the Class 3 team to earn her second All-State honor of the year. Hester was also selected to the MHSFCA Class 2 softball team as an infielder.
"She definitely deserved it. I felt like she put in the work," said Twin Rivers coach David Crockett, who also got to tell Hester the good news Wednesday night. "She was ecstatic, she couldn't believe it."
Hester averaged 19 points and 10.5 rebounds as the Royals reached the state quarterfinals.
"She has proven that hard work pays off," Crockett said. "We couldn't believe we made the run that we did."
Dexter senior Andrew Ellinghouse was selected to the Class 4 team.
Other regional All-State selections include: Brandon Williamson (New Madrid Central), Jobe Bryan (Park Hills Central), LeRoy Atkins (Sikeston), Rico Coleman (Charleston), Drew Irby (Portageville), Trayvon Thomas (Hayti), Brock Wakefield (South Iron), Drenin Dinkins (South Iron), Colby Crader (Delta), Madison Ayers (South Iron), Brynne Spurgin (Eminence), Kendall Holweg (Delta), Katie Webb (Oran), Amiya Johnson (Hayti), Alivia Hartman (New Madrid Central), Sophia Horton (Park Hills Central), Lexi Rubel (Notre Dame).